Thursday, 16 April 2015

Namaste y'ALL: Yoga is for EVERYONE :)

So you may have noticed that I quite like yoga. I
teach yoga, I write about yoga, I practice yoga (almost) daily, yoga-related
pictures can easily be found on my Instagram feed, and I follow more yoga pages
on Facebook than I can even begin to count!

Yoga is seriously awesome and there are many
reasons why I love it so much. But I am conscious of the fact that on paper I'm
a pretty stereotypical yogini: 20-something, western, middle-class, and female.
So who am I to start preaching about yoga being for everyone? Well it's a good
question, but I don't much care for it. I strongly believe in yoga being
for everyone, and just because I fit into the yoga "stereotype"
doesn't mean that that's how I want it to stay. In my world there would be no
yoga stereotype as everyone would feel able to practice if they wanted to, and
I'm going to try to dispel a few myths and to articulate why it is for everyone
in this little post and why we should all give it a go. No excuses accepted!

MYTH 1: Yoga is for girls

Figures show that nowadays yoga is more widely
practiced by women than it is by men. However traditionally in India it was a
male-only practice; females weren't allowed anywhere near it. So it could be
argued that it's a practice which is actually more suited to the male
form.

Yoga (particularly styles such as Ashtanga, rocket,
and Vinyasa) is a practice that requires strength, focus, and commitment; each
of these requirements is totally genderless, and we could all do with more of
them on and off the mat. Furthermore yoga is scientifically proven to have all
sorts of health benefits such as reduced stress levels, improved cognitive
function, helping to maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure, and
increased sexual function. So gents, if you're looking for an activity that
boosts brain power and has all sorts of physical benefits then join those
ladies in the yoga studio! And if you need any further persuasion, I can
promise with my hand-on-heart that a regular yoga practice will boost your
athletic performance in any other sport you practice: Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron
James, the New Zealand national Rugby team, Tom Brady and Ryan Giggs all
practice yoga to support their games - need I say more?

MYTH 2: I'm too young / old for yoga

See above for the mental and physical benefits of
yoga. No matter what our age it's never too early or too late to begin to take
care of ourselves that little bit more and to invest some self-love into our
routines.

Nowadays many schools are actually incorporating
yoga classes into their extra curricular activities, and yoga for children is a
sector that's growing rapidly. My four-year old cousin practices alongside my
Aunty to their yoga DVD and he can already perform a better tree pose than I
can! He genuinely enjoys it and you can tell that it's something which captures
his concentration - no mean feat when you're a toddler!

Equally, at the other end of the spectrum, if you can
still breathe then it's never too late to take up yoga. Of course as we reach
the latter years of our lives our bodies won't quite be able to do what they
could when we were young, however yoga is an eight-limbed practice: the
physical practice is only one of these limbs. Look for a yoga class that is
designed for the older generation and one where the teacher is accommodating
for any modifications that might be required. These practices will tend to
focus more on the breathing and meditation side of yoga, two very important
aspects for any yoga practitioner at any age.

MYTH 3: Yoga is too expensive

It's true that many yoga classes are now at least
£10+ for just one session, and many of us can't afford this pricey sum each
week. But just because cash is tight doesn't mean that you can't practice yoga.
You don't even need to invest in a mat if you don't want to (although if you're
in the UK they can be found for a fiver at Sports Direct ;)).

For the first six months of my yoga love affair I
didn't spend a single penny on practice, and yet I was practicing 3 times a
week. And how did I do that I hear you say? Good old YouTube videos and free
apps is the answer to that question! Do be careful when finding online
tutorials; as a beginner you'll be unlikely to know what is safe practice. But
I can highly recommend the YouTube videos of Esther Ekhart as she is clear,
concise, and concerned with correct alignment. When learning I also used a free
app called "Simply Yoga FREE" which gives you 6 different yoga practices,
over 20 mins, 40 mins and 60 mins. If you are doing the majority of your
practice at home I would suggest trying to go to one class every month, just to
check in with a teacher to ensure that you are practicing safely, and also to
connect with other yogis who may want to come and join you in your living room
or in the park to shake up your yoga practice and to keep it fresh.

My other tip would be to shop around for deals on
sites such as Wowcher, as studios will often offer introductory offers that are
affordable.

MYTH 4: Yoga is for fully able-bodied
practitioners

One of the reasons I love yoga so much is that you
can adapt your practice completely to your ability, your strength, your
feelings. This is the same for EVERYONE - able bodied and disabled
practitioners alike. Don't let your disability hold you back as there are
always modifications and different styles of yoga that you can try.

It might be the case that you want to specifically
find a yoga class that is designed to accommodate for disabilities, in which
case they are out there so all you've got to do is a quick Google session to
find the ones near you. Or it may even be worth investing in a few sessions
with a private teacher who will be able to work with you one-on-one and guide
you to find a practice which suits you most.

MYTH 5: You've got to be flexible to do yoga

You wouldn't believe how many times I've heard the
phrase: "Oh but I'm not flexible enough to do yoga". Come on guys.
Really? A) Yoga isn't just about flexibility (the only thing that you're
required to have is a flexible mind), and B) It's very unusual to be naturally
gifted at something straight away without any practice whatsoever.

How many times did you have to practice reading
before you could complete a whole book? How many times did it take you to
perfect your cupcake baking skills? How many times did you fall off your bike
when you were learning to ride it? You get my gist. Now get on the mat and stop
being so silly.

So hopefully I've demystified some of the myths
around yoga and you'll feel more encouraged to get on the mat and give it a go.
Ultimately yoga is about connecting with yourself and loving yourself, and in
turn you'll connect more meaningfully with others and with the world around
you. If you ask yourself honestly, who doesn't want that? So go on, give it a
go, you might just change your life ;)

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Welcome to The Beautifully Healthy Project!
I'm excited to invite you into this space where I share my passion for yoga, health, food, beauty, and living life to the full.
This is a crazy, fun and beautiful world that we live in and sometimes we need a few words of encouragement and inspiration to help us along the way.
I'm a yoga teacher, skiing lover, surfing novice, running bunny, love believer and I want to help encourage people to be the best versions of themselves by being Beautifully Healthy.
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Namaste y'all! Love Lucy x